Birds of the Roebuck Plains

The town of Broome in Western Australia is a well-known birding destination. The tidal mudflats of Roebuck Bay play host to large numbers of migratory waders and it is on these shores that the Birdlife Australia Broome Bird Observatory is located. The observatory provides information, walking trails, bird hides and camping accommodation. It also offers tours and it was a tour called the Lakes Tour that I joined on 24 August 2012.

The trusty vehicle our guide had grown to love, Roebuck Plains

The tour gives access to land owned by the Roebuck Plains Cattle station. It is my understanding that the Roebuck Plains area was originally the massive delta of the Fitzroy River - a large river system that now flows into the King Sound. In "the wet" the plains are awash and impassable. The tour runs in the dry season and visits three residual shallow lakes as they dry out.

Our guide Theresa, a visiting Spanish ornithologist, was a gun at bird ID. This is Lake Campion. We are viewing birds on the other side of the lake.

I was impressed by the Google earth image showing a striking difference in the topography between the plains and the surrounding West Kimberley bush. This is not really appreciable as you zip along Highway One!

This was classic long-range birding using scopes and binoculars. Up close photographic opportunities were few but many species were identified including several lifers.

"Is there a particular bird you would like to see?" asked Theresa
"I have never seen Australian bustard." Sure enough we had our tick within the hour.

Four of a group of seven Australian bustard wandering away from the track

Our first stop was at Lake Eda - we were met with fine views of a White-bellied sea eagle. Brolga were readily seen around the area. Taken through the tinted windscreen of a slowly-moving car these photos are particularly poor but I am amused by the pictures of this bird descending with its landing gear down.

White-bellied sea eagle, Lake Eda

White-bellied sea eagle

Brolga descent and then grazing near Lake Eda

Lake Eda was followed by Lake Campion and then Taylor's Lagoon. At each lake I practiced trying to differentiate between the different waders present (Wood and Marsh sandpiper principally). I enjoyed my first ever sighting of Cockatiel (albeit at a great distance). Australian pratincole paraded obligingly.

Australian pratincole, Lake Eda

An across-the-lake view of a group of Cockatiel, Lake Eda

Not my kit .... unfortunately! Yes I was "out-lensed", Taylor's Lagoon

Red-backed kingfisher

Rainbow bee-eaters

Black-winged stilt

We had a few Zebra finch encounters (above) but my favourite photo opportunity of the day would have to be the Long-tailed finch that came down to drink near a magnificently placed branch!

Long-tailed finch, Taylor's Lagoon

77 species were seen in all including many ducks and other water fowl, budgerigar, raptors. You can see the entire list here (Eremaea website).

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

The big & the small of Kununurra

We'll start with "the big" shall we? This Jabiru was spotted as we drove along the irrigated areas just north of Kununurra. It was one of those "Was that a .....!?" moments as we tore past, screeched to a halt, three-point turned on the bitumen and went back. She was just standing there beside an irrigation channel and allowed us to take a few shots from the car. You know that thing where you manoeuvre the car trying to get the right angle (and right window!) to get a shot?

We left her in peace and continued on our way stopping to photograph this kingfisher:

Red-backed kingfisher

The "small" today was actually a "big" for our family. When walking along the Hidden Valley's short nature walk in Mirima National Park we heard rustling and suspected quail. We sat on the boardwalk and patiently waited. Sure enough 5-6 quail emerged and gradually explored their way through the leaf litter moving towards us! We were in a narrow gorge and it was late in the day so the light was very dull. Here are the better shots:

One of the first shots - an "insurance" shot through the grasses. 

Fitting a round bird in to a square hole!

Brown quail

After these shots the camera was put down as the birds were actually too close for the only lens I had with me! As it was a pleasure just watching these guys without that "gotta get the shot" feeling I felt that I both had my cake and eaten it! We were buzzing afterwards - the kids thought they were great!

Bird on!

I got the Nitmiluk blues!

Still reliving our holiday up North. These photos are from late July at Nitmiluk National Park which is centred on the Katherine Gorge. The images have a decidedly blue theme!

We start with Blue-faced honeyeater. I'm intrigued when I catch a shot showing a bird's nostrils as "see through 

The rest are kingfishers!

Absolutely gorgeous Forest kingfisher - a lifer for me

Not nearly as endearing in this shot (but also a lifer) was Red-backed kingfisher. It took me a while to stop ignoring these birds as Sacred kingfisher. They were actually a common sighting once we realised what we were seeing!

In southern Australia we are of course very familiar with the Laughing kookaburra and I was on the lookout for Blue-winged kookaburra while up north and wasn't disappointed. Now kingfishers are pretty distinctive looking birds and kookaburras particularly so .....

Blue-winged kookaburra

but this guy went beyond "distinctive" with an early morning "yawn"....

and then the eyes close over......! 

Now that just looks plain freaky!

Nitmiluk was very kind to my "Life List" with no fewer than NINE lifers! See the Eremaea List here. More pictures to follow!

Bird on!